Wedding Day of Coordinator Fees?

[lovesparklies]

I''ve had the hardest time tracking down a day of coordinator in the smallish town where I''m getting married. The event planner at my venue recommended someone who acted as a "helper" at someone else''s wedding and did a good job so I think I''ll call her. I''m a little nervous because I''d really like someone who is a pro at weddings and could tell me when this and that is supposed to happen and kind of run things that day, but at the very least I need someone to set out favors and escort cards or run to the drugstore if someone forgot something.

I''m not sure if this person will have a set fee since she just helps at weddings on the side sometimes so I want to have a price in mind when I call. How much are you girls paying your DOCs? Originally I was thinking $20/hour but then priced that out as a full time job and it''s kind of a lot to pay for someone to basically run errands. Sorry, that probably sounds terrible. I''m just trying to figure this out.

I''m thinking I''ll need her for up to 10 hours if that makes a difference.

 

[neatfreak]

I think if she''s the only game in town you''ll probably have to pay her whatever she asks if you want someone!

 

[oobiecoo]

I looked into hiring 2 different ones and both wanted $600-$800 just for the one day. I am also in a small town and both of the coordinators were from the neighboring big cities about 30 minutes away.

 

[lovesparklies]

Thanks for info, oobiecoo. I guess $600-800 sounds somewhat reasonable (in crazy wedding land) for a professional coordinator. Sigh, I don''t know if there''s a good way to decide a reasonable rate for a day of "helper". Hopefully she''ll just quote me a price. I''ll probably accept whatever she wants anyway (unless it''s totally out of hand!).

 

[October2008bride]

I know that people feel differently about this stuff, but I am of the mindset that unless you actually need a ''wedding coordinator'' for the entire planning process, you don''t have to have a ''pro''. You can probably do with someone who is organized, detail oriented, and who really wants to make sure your day is great.

Example: I had a day of coordinator (DOC). I didn''t want one at the start, because I can definitely plan my own wedding, but I thought that on the day of, it would be nice to know that when I''m taking pictures etc there was someone at the reception site with my best interests at heart (i.e. not the venue coordinator). I ended up hiring a woman who was just getting into the business but who was a project manager during the day.

If you have time to plan the wedding yourself and do some online research as far as finding answers to questions (do I dance with my dad before he dances with his mom?), then I think that for the day of, it is not a must-have to have a 800 ''professional''.

I know some people will strongly say that having a professional was amazing/worth it/necessary, but I think that the whole concept of a day of coordinator is relatively new and has become ''normal'' in wedding planning circles on the web. Most of my ''off-line'' friends had never even HEARD of a DOC.

Sorry for the rant - I just hate to see someone pay a lot of money if they don''t have to. There are definitely options!! I think it would be great if you could find someone who was recently married (so knows the deal!) who is super organized, etc. I just don''t think that because you are in a small town you should be stuck paying 800 dollars.

Do you have an idea what you''d like this person to do on the day of?

 

[katamari]

I have to totally agree with October2008bride. You don''t necessarily need a professional to be an errand-runner. I have heard of local brides meeting up and swapping DOC services with one another. I would pursue this option. You also might want to check Craigslist or a local university if there is one. At our uni, there is a wedding and event planning minor within the hospitality major and a lot of these students are looking for experience and willing to work for experience.

 

[lovesparklies]

Well, I don''t even really have the option of a professional DOC so hopefully I can find an organized person like you mentioned, October2008bride. I''m planning the wedding myself and am pretty familiar with how things should run that day so I don''t need someone to tell me what to do per se, but it would just be nice to have someone to come grab me at 8pm when the dances should start or tell me it''s 10:30pm so stop dancing and toss the bouquet, for example. But anyway, I can deal with all that. (And come to think of it, there''s no reason an errand runner couldn''t do those things as long as I gave her a list. Hmmm...)

Most people where I''m from have one or two personal attendants who help them that day but I don''t have anyone that''s familiar with the area who could do that. I want my friends to be my guests and have fun, not be employee for the day (not that personal attendants get paid...) -- especially because most of my friends are traveling long distances to be there! I also don''t have any aunts or uncles or cousins to assign tasks to. Yikes, it sounds like I''m whining but I promise I''m not!

katamari, that''s a good idea to check with local universities. There are a couple of business colleges in the area that might have hospitality majors and maybe even the universities. And actually, my dad is a professor so maybe the knows a student who is particularly responsible. I know I would''ve loved a job like that in college! Ohhh, hindsight is 20/20...

I still need to make a complete list of what I need this person to do, but it would be things like transporting flower arrangements from the church to the reception venue, set out escort cards, menus, and favors, confirm that all the vendors have arrived at the reception venue with their various things, run to the drugstore when a bmaid breaks out in hives right before the ceremony (happened at my sister''s wedding!!!)...

Anyone have a list of things that other people had to take care of for you that day, whether it was your aunt or friend or DOC?

 

[Rhea]

I hired someone brand new. By "hired" I mean that she was starting her business and volunteered to do it for free. She nows charges around $300-$600 for the day depending on needs. It sounds like you might need someone between a professional, expensive day of coodinator, and an errand runner. Either would be handy depending on what you need done. Have you checked or advertised on Craigslist?

 

[oobiecoo]

I also agree that you don''t need a professional for the wedding day. The ones we looked into did mostly things that any family member or whoever could do. Things like set up, help bustle your gown, make sure theres a meal packed for you and your groom since you may not have sat down to eat, give out any payments to florists, direct people where to deliver things or help a mom find a place to nurse her child.

If the helper doesn''t give you a quote, I would think anywhere from $250-$500 would be good depending on your whole wedding budget and their duties.

 

[oobiecoo]

Here''s a list of duties I found from a local website:

Rehearsal dinner: the Rehearsal dinner is designed to rehearse the wedding/ceremony and walk the bridal party through the steps of the wedding/ceremony and address any added specialty components to the wedding/ceremony.

Management on the day of the wedding/ceremony:
Facilitate ceremony set-up and ceremony and be central manager for all vendors. May include (but not limited to) distribution of flowers to wedding/ceremony party and family members, check site décor for accuracy, supervision of floral, music, videographer, and photographer set-up. Preparations for and coordination of wedding/ceremony, assisting ushers with seating of guests, family members, late guests, and special needs guests, assistance to bridal party, wedding party processional line-up, prompting the musicians, distribution of tossing items, responsible for any personal belongings or other items that need to go to reception site or designated area with designated party/vehicle, as well as resolution of any last minute emergencies. And use of Bella Occasions’ extensive Emergency Kit.
Facilitate reception set-up and reception and be central manager for all vendors. May include (but not limited to) directing the set-up and layout of seating, tables, linens, table cards, place cards, menus, guest favors, etc. as well as setting up guest book, cake cutting utensils, etc, and reception coordination, including assisting guests with table cards and gifts/favors, coordinating pre-function events and entertainment i.e. coordinating and directing disc jockey or band with schedule of events such as arrival of Bride and Groom (introducing the newlyweds), first dance, special dances, toasts, dinner, cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, and departure of newlyweds, and acting as the director of events throughout the reception. Supervision of floral, music, videographer, and photographer set-up. Assist with bustling of wedding gown, if necessary. Also distribute final payments to vendors. Work with designated parties to assure gifts, keepsake items, and boxed cake are loaded in the appropriate vehicle.
Handle any emergencies as occur.

 

[lovesparklies]

I''m thinking about posting something on Craigslist and seeing what happens. I did find my roommate of 3 years on Craigslist so I know it can work out well.

Oobiecoo, thanks for the advice, although that list kind of freaks me out! Haha. It''s helpful to get me thinking about the details though so thank you.

 

[dilworth79]

I would love to be a DOC! I have done catering for weddings in the past and have a hospitality degree. I live in Eastern North Carolina for any in this area. I am also planning my own wedding for 08-08-09.

 

[lovesparklies]

Haha, dilworth79, the next town over from mine in MN -- like 10 min away -- is Dilworth, MN. Too bad that''s not where you live!

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Date: 11/19/2008 8:58:00 AM
Author: October2008bride
I know that people feel differently about this stuff, but I am of the mindset that unless you actually need a ''wedding coordinator'' for the entire planning process, you don''t have to have a ''pro''. You can probably do with someone who is organized, detail oriented, and who really wants to make sure your day is great.


Example: I had a day of coordinator (DOC). I didn''t want one at the start, because I can definitely plan my own wedding, but I thought that on the day of, it would be nice to know that when I''m taking pictures etc there was someone at the reception site with my best interests at heart (i.e. not the venue coordinator). I ended up hiring a woman who was just getting into the business but who was a project manager during the day.


If you have time to plan the wedding yourself and do some online research as far as finding answers to questions (do I dance with my dad before he dances with his mom?), then I think that for the day of, it is not a must-have to have a 800 ''professional''.


I know some people will strongly say that having a professional was amazing/worth it/necessary, but I think that the whole concept of a day of coordinator is relatively new and has become ''normal'' in wedding planning circles on the web. Most of my ''off-line'' friends had never even HEARD of a DOC.


Sorry for the rant - I just hate to see someone pay a lot of money if they don''t have to. There are definitely options!! I think it would be great if you could find someone who was recently married (so knows the deal!) who is super organized, etc. I just don''t think that because you are in a small town you should be stuck paying 800 dollars.


Do you have an idea what you''d like this person to do on the day of?

Hey OctoberBride - who did you end up hiring? I am looking for someone myself.